Inground pool costs and types

There is no better way to beat the summer heat than by taking a dip in a cool swimming pool. The only way that experience can be made better is if that pool is a part of your home. And of course, what summer is complete without poolside barbecues? So this summer, consider taking the plunge, quite literally, and investing in an inground pool.

In this short read, we’ll introduce you to inground pool costs based on material, size, and more.

Find out your home's credit score

Check your home condition score to find out!

Check it out

Average costs

The average cost of an indoor pool is pegged at around $35,000, with most people paying between $28,000 and $55,000. Increased utility costs, maintenance, and repairs could cost between $2,000 to $5,000 more per year.

Decking, covers, pool fences, custom lighting, waterfalls, hot tubs, and other customizations will increase your expenditure by between $2,000 and $10,000.

On average, the cost of an indoor pool varies between $50 to $125 per square foot. Popular materials include fiberglass, concrete, and vinyl. A large concrete pool might cost you upwards of $60,000, while a small fiberglass pool could cost as little as $18,000.

Your total expenditure will eventually depend on the size, choice of shape, materials, and location.

Of course, considering a well-maintained inground pool adds to the resale value of your home, the investment is definitely worth making.

Inground pool prices

Broadly speaking, you can break down inground pools by the materials used to build them. Let’s look at the cost of these pools.

Fiberglass pools

Getting a 10’ by 16’ fiberglass inground pool installed could cost you around $18,700, while a larger 18’ by 36’ pool could cost as much as $75,816 including installation.

Of course, you could choose to install a small pool by yourself for as little as $12,000.

That means the manufacturer or retailer will only deliver the pool to your home. You will need to dig, set, and fill your pool by yourself.

Fiberglass pools are fairly durable, lasting upwards of 25 years if maintained well. Expect to spend around $3,750 over a ten-year period on maintenance.

Fiberglass pools are a lot easier to maintain than pools made of vinyl or cement. Their smooth surface not only makes them resistant to algae, but they also require less work in terms of maintaining the pH levels of the water.

While they are prefabricated and are smaller in size than cement pools, they are also much faster to install. Pool installation can be completed within a week.

Vinyl pools

Vinyl inground pools are the least expensive pools in terms of materials cost when compared to fiberglass or concrete pools. A 12’ by 24’ vinyl inground pool will cost only $26, 650 for you to get installed. A much larger 18’ by 36’ pool is also relatively cheaper, costing around $58,968.

While vinyl pools can be bought prefabricated, you can also choose customized designs directly from manufacturers.

And while the initial cost of a vinyl pool may be more affordable, maintenance costs are higher. Ten years of maintenance could cost you as much as $13,350.

Like fiberglass pools, inground vinyl swimming pools have a smooth surface that is resistant to algae buildup and is easy to clean.

The pools have a liner made of steel or thermoplastic panels that are placed over the pool structure. This liner needs to be replaced every ten years or so, and costs between $3,000 to $4,000.

Concrete, shotcrete, or gunite pools

These are the most expensive inground pools, whether you consider the cost of installation or the cost of maintenance.

Concrete gunite pools cost between $29,000 and $60,000, with most homeowners spending around $50,960 for a 14’ by 28’ swimming pool. 

Maintenance costs are also around a whopping $27,500 for a decade.

One major positive is that pool owners get a free hand with design creativity and customization with these pools.

However, maintenance requires the use of more chemicals and electricity to keep them swimmable than any other type of pool.

Mold and algae will need to be removed using an acid wash every three or four years, which weakens the structural integrity of the concrete. This will mean that the pool will need to be completely replastered every 10 to 15 years at a cost of around $10,000.

Popular customizations

Inground saltwater pools

The average cost of an inground saltwater pool is around $35,000 for the pool itself and an additional $1,100 to $2,200 for the saltwater generator. This means by spending around $37,200, you have a low-maintenance inground swimming pool that does not require any chemicals and does not smell of chlorine.

Saltwater pools use a system that converts salt to chlorine but uses far less chlorine than conventional pools do. This makes the water gentler on your skin and eyes.  Long-term costs of owning a saltwater pool include replacing the cell in the saltwater generator every three to six years at a cost of around $800 and around $100 every time you need to add salt to the water.

Read more: Saltwater pool maintenance

Custom lighting

You can equip your inground swimming pool with LED and fiber optic lighting solutions that can be controlled from your smartphone by spending between $700 and $1,800. 

Getting your lights in place while your pool is being installed will save you money as compared to installing lights later.

Read more: Pool and patio design

Inground pool with hot tub

If you add a hot tub to your inground pool design while installing the pool, expect to spend $6,000 to $15,000 on the hot tub alone. Adding a hot tub to an existing pool will increase between $8,000 to $15,000 on the total cost of adding the pool.

Prices may vary depending on the hot tub style and how it is integrated with the pool. Most pool builders offer combo prices and discounts for getting both installed simultaneously.

Backyard lagoon pool

A backyard lagoon pool is perfect if you want to give your backyard a tropical feel. Depending on the design and the level of landscaping you choose, expect to spend between $50,000 to $150,000 on your lagoon pool.

Read more: How to clean a pool

Written by Narayan Shrouthy. July 19, 2021

Narayan is a content writer for Kukun. With experience in both content writing and editing, Narayan mixes his writing and love for reading with his passion for music. As an active musician, He aims to be a key player in Kukun's content experience.